APPENDIX A: List of Potential and Involved Companies
No Company Name Total Employee VSE Category Method Planned Method Applied Status
1. Company A 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group Not Available Reject
2. Company B 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group Interview/ Focus group Agree
3. Company C 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group Interview/ Focus group Agree
4. Company D 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group Survey Questionnaire Agree
5. Company E 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group No Replied Reject
6. Company F 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group Not Available Reject
7. Company G 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group No Replied Reject
8. Company H 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group Not Available Reject
9. Company I 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group No Replied
Reject
10. Company J 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
11. Company K 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire
Not Available
Reject
12. Company L 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
13. Company M 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
14. Company N 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
15. Company O 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
16. Company P 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
17. Company Q 1-9 Micro VSE Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
18. Company R 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
19. Company S 1-9 Micro VSE Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
20. Company T 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
21. Company U 1-9 Micro VSE Survey Questionnaire No Replied
Reject
22. Company V 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/ Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
23. Company W 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire
Not Available
Reject
24. Company X 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire
Not Available
Reject
25. Company Y 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire
Not Available
Reject
26. Company Z 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
27. Company AA 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
28. Company AB 10-24 Larger VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire No Replied Reject
29. Company AC 10-24 Larger VSE Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
30. Company AD 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree 31. Company AE 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/ Survey Questionnaire Interview/Interview Agree
32. Company AF 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire Interview/Interview Agree
33. Company AG 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire
Survey Questionnaire
Agree
34. Company AG 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
Survey Questionnaire Survey Questionnaire Agree
35 Company AH 1-9 Micro VSE Interview/ Focus group/
APPENDIX B: Interview Guide COMPANY NAME: NAME: CURRENT POSITION: CONTACT DETAILS: INTERVIEW DATE: LOCATION: START TIME: END TIME: Interview Guide Introduction Script Introduction:
First of all, I would like to express my appreciation for your willingness for this interview. For your information this interview will last approximately 60 minutes). The purpose of this interview is to discuss your and/or organizations experience and opinion in relation to the process of software development project especially in the issue of software development process (software process maintenance and evolution). Furthermore I would to make you aware that there is no right and wrong answer for all the questions.
FYI, there are six main parts in today’s interview, which will cover: a. Company background (approx. 5mins)
b. Employment Issues (approx.10mins)
c. Company software project and process issues (approx 30mins) d. Software development knowledge issues (approx 20mins), e. software development team issues (approx. 15mins) f. Relation of all above questions (approx. 10mins)
FYAck, the context of this research is to understand how small software companies manage their previous and existing software project knowledge and software development team in software development project. In addition, this research also will study the awareness of software process standard among small companies. These issues have well stated that software development project is highly dependent to knowledge, people and procedure. Therefore these three main soft issues must study closely especially in small companies in order to remain relevant in nowadays software business.
Confidentiality
Any answers or explanations you make will be confidential. You name or any your identifying information will not be included in my report. I am interested in what you have said, not in who says what. So I want you feel like you are speak freely. Moreover, several small software companies will involved in this research, in order to help me to understand the trend/pattern how small software companies experience and plan in managing the software project in order to their relevancy in today dynamics business environment.
Recording
To assist me with analysing interview data, I would like to record the interview with your permission. Please understand that the main purpose this recording is to assist me in capturing all the interview data more accurately since I am not an English native speaker. Furthermore, this recording will only be listening by me and will be destroyed once data is analysed
I would like to stress here that your participant in this interview is very valuable and vital to assist me in understanding important issues surrounding the development of software systems and will ultimately benefit for the Irish Software industry. Finally, the results of the study will be shared with you when the research is completed.
Part 1: VSEs Company Background: Interviewee, Company and Staff No Question
1. Demographic ( Person, name, designation , qualification, experience and role) 2. Company Background
• History/Core business/Years of Foundation/ Client/Company developed since foundation 3. Hiring Issue – hiring process and criteria/ No of Staff/ Location
Part 2: VSEs People Issue No Question
4. How do people enhance their expertise (skills)? – Formal training given- How/what 5 Working Process
• Explain how people work in here – in a team/ alone/ autonomous working • Formal Team -How team been created
• Clear Role 6. Communication
• Explain about typical employee communication and interaction each other – formal meeting/ online communication/ Autonomous communication • Formally documented all these activities
• People relationship (Mgmt-Subordinate) ( Staff-staff) Communication tools?
7. Management Style
- Do you considered your staff turn overrate to be high? – Yes, why and how you control? No – why do you think is not a problem
Part 3: VSEs Software Development Issue No Question
8. What you can tell me about your software development process - Specific model
- Process clearly defines
- How regular the development process been assess from one project to another? Why - Do you have standard documented procedure that in developing a system? 9 Does your development process being change and evolve over time? Explain/ why
Yes : Align with business process? Refer to any standard? Do people will use the same development process or the new one? How to encourage them. No : Is mean you use the same development process over time? Why?
Do you think you should improve the development process overtime? Why 10. If there any changes in software project, how this issue been anticipated? 11 Post Mortem
- Did you do any post mortem for a deployed project? – how and why - Do documented this activities/ outcome?
12 Does your software development project regularly receive feedback from the project team and client?
IF ‘YES’ : i. Please explain how feedback has been delivered in your organization ? o NO
13 Quality standard
- What is your opinion about software quality standard? – ISO - Do your company plan to adopt it? Why
- What a barrier small companies like you encounter in adopting software standard? Any assistance needed
Part 4: VSEs Software Development Knowledge Issue No Question
14. Sharing knowledge
- Explain how knowledge been shared in this company? How and how frequent - Do people experience and idea been document? How
- Do people need to document their activities?
- Do the company have a standard documentation process? - Does people experience and lesson learn being documented?
15. How do you encourage people to share their knowledge?- any reward ( tangible/ intangible)
16. How do you ensure that staff knowledge and experience in software development /project will be secure before they leave? Part 5: VSEs Software Development Team Issue
No Question
17. Can you explain about development team in this company? Well define structure
Appropriate team size Well balance team member Well define team process Good team communication People relationship
How team been formed? Does any specific criteria involved in forming a team?
18. Based on your experience, are your software development teams involved directly in defining the software development process? IF ‘YES’ : i. Please explain how this process happens?
19. How do you see the relationship between staff (and also management)? – socialize, work place, team work, close 20. In your opinion, how to ensure companies competitiveness in current business environment?
APPENDIX C: Focus group Interview Guide COMPANY NAME: NAME: CURRENT POSITION: CONTACT DETAILS: INTERVIEW DATE: LOCATION: START TIME: END TIME: Focus Group Guide
Introduction
First of all, I would like to thank you for attending this session today. I know how busy all of you are and really appreciate your willingness to help me out with this focus group.
How many of you have been in a focus group before? Well the main reason why I bring all of you together is to hear all your different idea and experiences. Today I invited you because I want to hear about your experience and opinion about software development project and process.
For your information this discussion will last approximately 60minutes and there is no right and wrong answer for all the questions. There are six main areas in today’s discussion, which will cover: a. Company background
b. Employment Issues
c. Company software project and process issues d. Software development knowledge issues e. software development team issues f. Relation of all above questions
(The context of this research is to understand how small software companies manage their previous and existing software project knowledge and software development team. In addition, this research also will study the acceptance and awareness of software process standard among small companies. Therefore these three main soft issues must study closely especially in small companies in order to remain relevant in nowadays software business.)
Moderator/Participant roles
The basic way this works is that you will be the talker and I will be the listener. Again remember you can freely express you taught and idea because there no right and wrong answer for this activities.
In fact, most of the talking you’ll be doing be to each others. I’ll have some question you need to ask, for you talk them among yourself. My basic job is to make sure that the topics get fully explore, and to make sure that we get to hear all different points of view.
Ground Rules
We do have a few basic ground rules, The first, thing is to participate. The reason that I’ve invited all of you today is so we can hear your different point of view. So we need everybody’s help to have a good group. The second thing is to take turn. I know that some people like to talk more than others, but sometimes you may have to hold on to some of things that you would like to say, so everyone in this group has a time to talk. (Finally, it’s all right to disagree with each others, but please be polite when do- no put downs. You want other people to listen to what you say and show some respect when they take to you, right? So you need going to do the same for everyone else in the group.)
Tape procedure
To assist me with analysing discussion data, I would like to record our discussion with your permission. Please understand that the main purpose this recording is to assist me in capturing all the interview data more accurately since I am not an English native speaker. Furthermore, this recording will only be listening by me and will be destroyed once data is analysed
Any comments you make will be confidential. You name or any your identifying information will not be included in my report. I am interested in what you as a group have say, not in who says what. So I want you all feel like you are speak freely. Finally, I ask that you respect others privacy. What ever we say here today is just for this group. I know you don’t want other people repeating anything that would violate your privacy, so all basically have to trust each other. The results of the study will be shared with you when the research is completed.
Opening
No Questions
In brief (1 minute), describe your background, qualification, role and experience in this company. Explain the company project that you have been involved?
Introductory/ Transition No Questions
1 • (10 mins) In your opinion, what is special about this company? (Turn over rate issue.- how the organization handle this / why is low ) • In your opinion how can you explain about your organization environment? ( communication, relationship and commitment)
o How people communicate each other?-typical employee communication o How frequent do you have a meeting? How it been conduct?
o Relationship between team and management
o Do you think the management are very supportive in all aspects? • Do this company provide any formal training?
• How do you enhance your skill and knowledge in performing your job? Software development Issue
No Questions
2. (15 mins) In your opinion, what should organization do, in order to sustain relevance in today’s software environment? How about your organization?
• What are challenges that your organization face in software business nowadays? • What are the important factors involved?
• How management could play it role in this matter? • How development team could contribute?
• How the management anticipate any changes in software project such as market change, standard change, requirement changes and others in software development project?
• Does your software development project regularly receive feedback from the project management team? Do you aware and understand company business goals?
No Questions
3. • (15 mins) How the development project been done? – in a team or individual ( autonomous work) • any specific development model you follow
• do you improve the development process/step over time
• Do you regularly assess your software process practice? Why and How? (periodic review) o How the management commitment on this matter?
• Do you think software process need to be changed and evolved overtime? Why and how? • Do these changes aligned with the company business goal and process?
• In your opinion, should the development process be change or update over time? Why and how?
• In your opinion, how can we ensure the team follows the updated software process rather than inventing or creating a new process for every project?
Based on your experience, are you involved directly in defining the software development process? No Questions
4.. (15 mins) ( briefly explain about software process standard and outcome- Software process standard in the previous interview) • What is your opinion about software engineering standard?
• Do you think about adopting a software engineering standard in software organization? • Why the acceptance of software engineering standard in small company is low? • How to encourage small company to adopt software engineering standard?
o Do you follow any standard in assessing your/project software process? How and Why? o Have the company look for external accreditation since your company’s creation? o Barrier that exist from adapting any standard.
o Awareness/Understand about certification- what should other VSE do.
o Do you think your company or other small company should adapt any Software process standard? Why • Formal/ informal
• Method/ standard apply and follow • Advantages/ Disadvantages • Knowledge issues
• Company/management commitment
• In your opinion, what kind of software engineering standard that should be developed for VSEs? – In your opinion, what are the desirable characteristics of standard for VSE?
o In your point of view, what type of assistance (encouragement) do small companies like you needs in adopting/involving in software process standard (or new standard seriously)?
o Formal vs informal approach Software process maintenance and evolution
Is it important to have periodic reviews of software project?
Do employee get any training ( formal/ informal)
What are the factors that enforce/ encourage /discourage software process to be improved and evolved? Why Team issues o Management issues o Standard Issues o Knowledge Issues o Communication issues
o How the management commitment regarding this matter?
No Questions
5... (10 mins) “As stated in software development process literature, one of the biggest problems in software development projects is the process loss problem. Process loss is a situation where software team follow old and ineffective development processes instead of the recent process for developing software”.
What are your comments on the above issues? How this could be happened?
How it should be handled?
In your experience, has your organization had an experience with the process loss?
IF ‘YES’ : i. Please explain why this problem happened?
ii. Please explain how this problem is being handled in your organization?
IF ‘NO’ : i. Please explain what action should your organization take to handle this process loss?
Software Development Knowledge No Questions
6... (15 mins) “Software development projects by their nature is a teamwork effort and involve knowledge intensive exchange, the influence of software
development teams and well organized software development knowledge could help in determined the success of software project. • In your opinion, does people knowledge are very important in all organization? why
• How it should be managed? How knowledge been managed in this company • How does software development knowledge being managed in this organization?
o What are factors that could encourage people to share their knowledge in your organization?
• In your opinion, what are the factors could influence people share their knowledge and experience in organization? • Can you describe about sharing knowledge culture in this organization and how it has been done?
o How does team development learn and understand previous project?
o In our opinion, how should team experience and knowledge be managed? Why? o It this knowledge been shared, transferred and document? How and why o How team are shared their knowledge?
• What is your opinion about documentation ( is it important in software project?) why • Can you explain about the documentation process in this organization?
o Is the document been update/ compile over time? – formally/informal o Do people document their task /activity properly?
o Management of software team experience and knowledge in developing software project o Formally or non formal
o Documenting knowledge issues o Tools
o Communication and interaction issues o Management encouragement • Is turn over staff id critical in this company? Why?
• How to secure staff knowledge and experience before they leave? Why and how it should be done?
Software Development Team No Questions
7. (10 mins) How you can explain about software development team in this company? Well define structure
Appropriate team size Well balance team member Well define team process Good team communication
What are typical types of project you work on? – In term of size, duration for each project, team in each different project Critical size
How do you see about relationship among team member? --- And between management and non management?
In your opinion, how to get full cooperation from team member in development project or organization? What organization should do in order to create an effective and efficient development team?
Do you agree that a good team will enhance knowledge sharing and enhancing project success? Why Ending
No Questions
8. (2mins). As a summary, in your opinion how important is knowledge management and software team in software development process? • How should it be handled/managed - Knowledge sharing and transferring/ knowledge management
Team, standard No Questions
9. (1min)Side Questions
• Anything that you want to add more about these issues. – haven’t discuss enough • Anything can improve(organization ) in this issue ( SPI, km and team)
APPENDIX D: Research Survey Questionnaire
Dear Sir, Madam